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Association of Social Media Professionals

Sadbhawna Today

Sadbhawna Today

Monday, August 16, 2010

Dengue/Malaria Threat: Here's how to stay healthy in monsoon

It's monsoon time and so, enjoy the rain, but don't forget to keep the mosquitoes at bay or to wash your hands frequently to ward off infections. For, the humid conditions and moderate temperatures create perfect conditions for the spread of diseases. So here are the few tips below to stay safe and healthy during these days.

During Monsoon, various kinds of natural disasters take place. Diseases that are spread during monsoon are basically water borne and gastrointestinal infections. Monsoon brings with it the much awaited relief from the long spell of sultry, scorching summer.

However the cooling showers bring with them an increased susceptibility to a lot of diseases that are peculiar to the monsoon. It is time we get our safeguards ready and gear ourselves up to face monsoon. The following are a few safeguards that one must follow in order to keep all diseases and infections at bay.

In order to prevent water-borne diseases, do not drink water which is not properly boiled and stored. Drinking water should be boiled and properly filtered. Avoid consuming food that is exposed to the surroundings for quite a long time, since food that is exposed for along time are contaminated by germs, which if enter the body, may cause various infections. Flies are the most common carriers of germs that mostly cause contamination.

Therefore remember to cook the vegetables well and steam them properly to kill the germ content in them, if any. Eat foodstuffs with high fibre content and add barley, rice and wheat to the food as they facilitate digestion and also strengthen the digestive system.

Immune-nutrients which are present in numerous food items should be consumed regularly as they help in building the body's immunity and enhance its ability to fight infection.

Natural herbs like ashwagandha, guduchi and kesar are rich in immune-nutrients. They help in controlling stress, energising the body and rejuvenating the immune system.

Diabetic patients need to take extra care of their feet during monsoon season. These patients should take specific care as not to walk bare-foot since the soil on which they walk is a reservoir of all types of germs. Asthma patients also need to take special care during monsoon as they should ensure that there is no accumulation and seepage of water from the vicinity of their residence since that will cause severe health problems. They should also ensure that fungus does not grow in the wooden furniture, and in other articles like shoes and leather bags.

Prohibit mosquito - breeding since they are also carriers of deadly germs. Do not let water accumulate in your surroundings. Put a few drops of kerosene or Phenyl in the stagnant water to check the undesired mosquito breeding. Mosquito net should be used wherever possible.

Apart from naturally occurring diseases described above, electric injury due to leakage of current, water dripping onto live electric wiring, electrocution is also common. It would be wise to give a thorough checkup to the wirings, switches, plugs, and the positioning of the wires around the house. Furthermore do not forget the electrical appliances. In case of any fault attend to them at the earliest.

Also take care of your children who love to splash through water logged streets, this could be dangerous. Water logging conceals a lot of rubbish filling over from dustbins, drains and manholes. It often contains glass pieces, stone chips slivers of wood and other substances. These can inflict serious injuries on tender bare feet.

Thus a little effort on your part coupled with care and caution can really help you enjoy this monsoon to its fullest. Be extra alert and observe these safety guidelines.